Apparatus for shaving elongate metal stock

Abstract

An apparatus and method for shaving elongate metal stock such as rod, wire and the like, characterized by the employment of a plurality of progressive die stations each including diametrically opposed segmental dies which are automatically indexed to remove surface imperfections from metal stock, to impart desired cross-sectional shapes to the metal stock and/or to impart desired tapered profiles to the metal stock. The segmental dies at each station are rigidly secured to respective carriages by heel and toe clamps and the carriages are radially advanced and retracted in rigid restraints by hydraulic actuators provided with adjustable mechanical stops which limit inward carriage adavancement. The carriages and hydraulic actuators for each station are mounted on a mounting plate which is securable to an upright support plate at any one of a member of rotated positions. The support plates are fixed at their lower ends to a base structure and tied at their upper ends to adjacent support plates as well as the base structure to eliminate or minimize chatter as the metal stock is continuously advanced through the progressive die stations.

I claim: 
     
       1. In an apparatus for shaving elongate metal stock such as rod, wire or the like, a plurality of radially variable segmental die assemblies through which the metal stock is longitudinally continuously passed, said die assemblies being axially spaced along the path of the metal stock and each comprising a support therefor, diametrically opposed carriages mounted on said support for radial movement toward and away from the path of the metal stock, diametrically opposed segmental shaving dies respectively secured to said carriages for common movement therewith out of and into the path of the metal stock for removing surface metal from diametrically opposed sides of the metal stock, and reciprocating drive means for moving said carriages radially inwardly and outwardly, each segmental die assembly including adjustable mechanical stop means for limiting radially inward movement of said carriages and hence the segmental dies, said reciprocating drive means including a piston-cylinder assembly connected to each carriage for effecting radially inward and outward movement of the carriage; said adjustable mechanical stop means including a stop collar on the piston of each piston-cylinder assembly and an abutment fixed in relation to the cylinder, and said abutment being in the path of said stop collar to limit the radially inward stroke of the piston-cylinder assembly. 
     
     
       2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carriages are rigidly restrained for radial movement by a pair of parallel guide blocks fixed to a mounting plate. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each carriage slides on a bearing plate clamped flush to the mounting plate. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support for each assembly includes a support plate perpendicular to the path of the metal stock. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, including means for fixing each support plate to an adjacent support plate against relative movement in the direction of the metal stock's path. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the support plates are mounted at their bottom edges to a base, and said means for tying includes tie bars secured to opposite sides of the support plates at the attitude of the assemblies mounted thereon. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the die assemblies are substantially identical in construction and secured to respective mounting plates, and further including means for securing the mounting plates to respective support plates at any one of a plurality of rotated offset positions. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said carriages are controllably indexed inwardly and outwardly in repetitive manner to provide the metal stock with a multiplicity of tapers over given lengths thereof. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said assemblies have their respective segmental dies circumferentially offset at respective multiples of an angle obtained by dividing 360° by the number of such die assemblies to obtain full 360° cutting action. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said segmental dies each have an arcuate cutting edge having an arcuate cutting length equal to said angle. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said drive means is operative to drive said carriages radially to respective set points and then hold said carriages at such set points against both inner and outer radial movement. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each die is secured to the carriage by a heel and toe clamp. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, including a chip breaker secured to each heel and toe clamp adjacent an outer surface of the respective die. 
     
     
       14. In an apparatus for shaving elongate metal stock such as rod, wire or the like, a plurality of radially variable segmental die assemblies through which the metal stock is longitudinally continuously passed, said die assemblies being axially spaced along the path of the metal stock and each comprising a support therefor, diametrically opposed carriages mounted on said support for radial movement toward and away from the path of the metal stock, diametrically opposed segmental shaving dies respectively secured to said carriages for common movement therewith out of and into the path of the metal stock for removing surface metal from diametrically opposed sides of the metal stock, and reciprocating drive means for moving said carriages radially inwardly and outwardly, each segmental shaving die being formed from a block of die material which is symmetrically grooved at opposite ends thereof to provide a pair of cutting edges at each end, and each carriage including means for mounting the block at any one of a number of positions respectively presenting a different one of the cutting edges to the metal stock. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said means for mounting includes means for positioning the blocks at a rake angle to the path of the metal stock. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said stop collar is adjustable along the length of the piston. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the piston extends from each end of the cylinder, the piston being connected at one end to the carriage and the collar being mounted on the other, and the abutment being formed by the end of the cylinder.